We are taking off the month of December with regard to the ETU Designer’s Journal to instead bring you a series of articles on Autism in support of the Midnight Charity Project. Even though this isn’t game related, we hope you’ll take a few moments to read it. 

There are many theories regarding Autism and its causes. A majority of the medical community believe it’s a developmental problem of the brain that occurs in the womb. Others believe it has to do with high levels of mercury introduced via inoculations, particularly the MMR (for measles, mumps and rubella). The traditional treatments include various teaching methodologies and the prescription of various drugs.

What follows is a really basic treatment of the GF/CF diet as my wife and I have come to understand it. We have spent many hours on the internet and read a wonderful book by Karyn Seroussi entitled Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder. Quotes used herein are taken from her book.

Many autistic kids have been found to be allergic to Glutin (which comes from wheat, bran, oats, etc) and casienates which come from dairy (milk products, not eggs). Many parents and doctors have also experienced that while children are being introduced to wheat and dairy, many begin suffering from chronic ear infections and are placed on antibiotics on a very regular basis. (With our kids it was every two months like clockwork!) Unfortunately, antibiotics also attack good bacteria in the stomach and intestinal walls, and this can have the effect of leaving only candida-the bad yeasts and fungus in the intestinal linings.
Whatever the cause, many autistic children have been proven to have high levels of candida (gastrointestinal yeasts and fungus). Normally, candida exists at very tiny levels in the gastrointestinal linings, but something is killing the “good-guy” bacteria, which allows candida to grow. Candida can be considered the “bad-guys” and is barbed, toxic and difficult to kill. A healthy intestinal system allows only nutrients to pass into the bloodstream and blocks out larger products like “incompletely digested fats, proteins, starches, and bacteria.”

When candida grows and takes over the system, many professionals refer to it as “leaky-gut syndrome.” The theory is that when this occurs, certain proteins are not broken down and pass through the intestinal lining into the blood stream. These proteins are toxic and foreign in the bloodstream and act almost like narcotics or opiates in the human system. Hence ADHD, ADD, Autism and many other disorders could possibly be traced to someone with “leaky-gut” syndrome. A 1995 article in the journal Gastroenterology, “found increased evidence of leaky gut in diabetics and schizophrenics” as well.

DAN! (Defeat Autism Now!), an organization put together by Dr. Rimland states the following: (taken from Seroussis’ book)

• Children may be born with a genetic predisposition toward food or other allergies.
• As some point in their development, they develop an abnormal immune response.
• The children become ill and are given antibiotics.
• The candida grows and becomes a nastier version that attacks their guts, causing changes in the GI immune system and a leaky gut.
• This is seen with the malprocessing of certain proteins; such as casein and gluten. Instead of being properly utilized, they are broken down into neurotransmitters, which affect their brains.

Remarkably many autistic children (1 in 3) respond very well to a glutin-free/casein-free diet, and begin expressing normal behaviors, communication, and development. Mrs. Seroussi’s child had been diagnosed as a moderately autistic on the spectrum at a very young age. She investigated and learned that many parents were having wonderful results on this diet. She became a pioneer, and now her son is fully recovered and on level with the rest of his schoolmates. He no longer exhibits the signs of autism. There are now many parents and doctors who have come to accept this diet as one possible treatment for children with autism.

You have our permission to pass this along to anyone interested in the diet, but please understand that my wife and I are not doctors and this description is our best understanding of it. We are still learning, and have a long way to go.

I highly recommend Seroussi’s book, as well as Special Diets for Special Kids by Lisa Lewis, Ph.D.

For more information check out:

• www.autismndi.com
• www.Gfcfdiet.com
• www.Foodyoucaneat.com